I agree that this is the ideal situation (I'd really like if Punk & Jericho don't even touch each other on Sunday TBH), but how is Punk winning the belt back from Jericho after a month & a half really career-defining?

It probably won't be in the end, but they'd have to do it old school. Have Jericho get the upper hand constantly going into mania, then give them enough time to work a quality match (which the two of them are both capable of doing - they're guys who could feasibly work a 5-star match together). Just build and build and build until April first, have the crowd ready for it, and then pull the trigger.

The speech and the Chicago PPV were his star-making performance, and his work in the meantime has put the crowd squarely behind him. He's clearly the most popular babyface on the card when they don't bring in the michaels and hhh's (which btw, is something that annoyed me - they once again had to say they were the end of an era, effectively burying the entire roster for about the thousanth time, but I digress). Obviously Cena gets bigger reactions, but they're always mixed, and they've become more boos than cheers. If the two of them, meaning Punk and Jericho, work a real classic match, and Punk gets his mania 'moment', it could propel him to that next level. He could be Cena going forward, the way the company wants Cena to be, the babyface star of the company. A lot has changed for Punk in the last 6th months, it's not just the hardcores shouting for him now. You see kids in his merch, you see women in his merch, and you of course see guys between 18 and 40 in his merch. He's the one guy on the roster right now who I think could be this decade's Steve Austin. And they need that right now, desperately.

It probably won't be in the end, but they'd have to do it old school. Have Jericho get the upper hand constantly going into mania, then give them enough time to work a quality match (which the two of them are both capable of doing - they're guys who could feasibly work a 5-star match together). Just build and build and build until April first, have the crowd ready for it, and then pull the trigger.

The speech and the Chicago PPV were his star-making performance, and his work in the meantime has put the crowd squarely behind him. He's clearly the most popular babyface on the card when they don't bring in the michaels and hhh's (which btw, is something that annoyed me - they once again had to say they were the end of an era, effectively burying the entire roster for about the thousanth time, but I digress). Obviously Cena gets bigger reactions, but they're always mixed, and they've become more boos than cheers. If the two of them, meaning Punk and Jericho, work a real classic match, and Punk gets his mania 'moment', it could propel him to that next level. He could be Cena going forward, the way the company wants Cena to be, the babyface star of the company. A lot has changed for Punk in the last 6th months, it's not just the hardcores shouting for him now. You see kids in his merch, you see women in his merch, and you of course see guys between 18 and 40 in his merch. He's the one guy on the roster right now who I think could be this decade's Steve Austin. And they need that right now, desperately.

I expect to be let down.

Damn. Well put.

Not trying to brag, but I've been on the Punk train since his last few months of ROH (waits for one of you to say you were on him in the beginning of FIP or something ) and am excited that we're even talking about him in the WWE Title match of WrestleMania (I love you, but dammit Rocky....).

I've also been a Jericho fan since I watched him punk Goldberg in WCW and can't wait to see this go down. I was psyched for Jericho-Edge a few years ago and although it was a decent/good match, it could have been amazing. I just really hope the same doesn't happen with Punk-Jericho.

I had to laugh when HHH said that their era doesn't exist anymore. I guess I can see what he was trying to do, but I hope Punk (or anyone for that matter) takes him up on that for a feud this summer. HHH owes Punk a good match & feud after that crapfest leading up to Night of Champions last year...

I've been a Punk fan since his work with Samoa Joe in, when was that?, 2004?

Randy Orton was apparently hurt during his match with big slow last night, so he's out of the Elimination Chamber. They're bringing Mark Henry back early (again) to take his slot, so now Daniel Bryan will be facing Henry, Show and Khali in that chamber, along with Cody Rhodes and Wade Barrett (is that right?).

I have a sinking feeling we're going to end up with Henry/Sheamus, as I originally predicted a few weeks back.

Santino Marella won a battle royal to claim Randy Orton's spot in the Elimination Chamber. The final four were Santino, Drew McIntyre, Ezekiel Jackson, and David Otunga. Drew was eliminated first, followed by Zeke. Crowd went nuts for Santino win.

Are you frikkin' kidding me?

Quote:

Daniel Bryan cut a promo in the ring about what he did on Raw. He said Big Show and Orton were afraid to come out. He said come Sunday, he would still be World Champion. He told Lilian to announce him the winner of the main event by forfeit, but Teddy Long came out and announce Bryan would face Sheamus instead.

4. Daniel Bryan defeated Sheamus by disqualification. Bryan spit in Sheamus's face and Sheamus went crazy. The ref tried to hold him back, but Sheamus pushed him to cause the DQ.

I've been a Punk fan since his work with Samoa Joe in, when was that?, 2004?

Randy Orton was apparently hurt during his match with big slow last night, so he's out of the Elimination Chamber. They're bringing Mark Henry back early (again) to take his slot, so now Daniel Bryan will be facing Henry, Show and Khali in that chamber, along with Cody Rhodes and Wade Barrett (is that right?).

I have a sinking feeling we're going to end up with Henry/Sheamus, as I originally predicted a few weeks back.

'04 sounds about right. That's about when I first heard his name, but didn't really get into him for another year or so after that.

This whole Smackdown situation sounds like a fustercluck. At this point, they'd probably just be smart to let DB keep the belt until Mania.

2013 Wrestlemania's going to be April 7th at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ. Ugh.

Interesting tidbit from the Observer:

Aren't they expected to have WM 30 at MSG? Cause that'd 2 WMs in back-to-back years within like 20 miles of each other... And that could be really a really cold Mania if winter sticks around in the Northeast.

Need to get one at Jerryworld in Dallas before long...

Punk being better than Cena at more & more things doesn't surprise me. I'd expect Ryder's merchandise to go down (at least among adult males) after this Eve storyline, but that's just me.

I've never liked the character to be honest, but I do respect that he was making a name for himself, had a successful youtube show going and was moving merch.

Unfortunately in WWE, that kind of stuff will get you punished.

There was a note on Funkasaurus in there too.

Quote:

In a big surprise, Vince McMahon made the call to take Clay off television, feeling his ring work wasn't good enough. This is the guy who made money headlining some of the crappiest main event workers in history. Apparently it was a match with Slater that was taped and pulled from Smackdown that did him in.

I've never liked the character to be honest, but I do respect that he was making a name for himself, had a successful youtube show going and was moving merch.

Unfortunately in WWE, that kind of stuff will get you punished.

There was a note on Funkasaurus in there too.

@ Funkasaurus being left off TV. Batista's good enough to main event for 5 years, but Brodus (who IMO works really well for a big man) isn't good enough for freakin' Smackdown?

And I don't know that I was necessarily ever a huge fan of Ryder's character, but I respected the hell out of him & that made me like it more. I don't think I was ever going to buy a Zack Ryder shirt, headband or whatever, but I've turned into a fan of his. At least, before they made him look like a complete bitch in this Kane/Cena/Eve/Zack story...

Aren't they expected to have WM 30 at MSG? Cause that'd 2 WMs in back-to-back years within like 20 miles of each other... And that could be really a really cold Mania if winter sticks around in the Northeast.

Need to get one at Jerryworld in Dallas before long...

Punk being better than Cena at more & more things doesn't surprise me. I'd expect Ryder's merchandise to go down (at least among adult males) after this Eve storyline, but that's just me.

It was expected that 30 would be there but now who knows. The weather hasn't really been cold in April here for a while. Assuming it doesn't rain, should be fine. Problem is it rains a ton in April, not shockingly.